


don't let go

by maggiesalex



Category: Jessica Jones (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F, childhood fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-09 11:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5538557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maggiesalex/pseuds/maggiesalex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It’s a challenge, Trish can see it in the way Jessica’s eyes glint whenever she loosens her grip, daring her to be the first one to let go, to admit defeat. And Trish Walker is not one to back down in the face of a challenge.  "</p>
<p>Or</p>
<p>Eight year old Jessica and Trish are buddies on a school field trip.</p>
            </blockquote>





	don't let go

**Author's Note:**

> Childhood fic, but still canon. Inspired by that scene in the hospital where teen Trish says Jessica was "Just some kid who goes to my school."

//

She’s eight years old and standing on the wet pavement outside of the Central Park Zoo. Her hair is pulled back in a tight ponytail and the tips of her fingers are beginning to turn red in the cool air.

 

Trish stares after the bright yellow of the school bus as it rounds a corner, turning her head when she hears the voice of her teacher, calling out for the rest of the class to quiet down. It’s the usual speech, no wandering off, no yelling, no running, no going to the bathroom without permission. Trish is already in the middle of whispered conversation with Monica and Zoe when she hears the word “buddies”.

 

The three friends share a wary look before turning and giving Mr. Knight their full attention. Trish puts on her brightest smile and moves a step closer to Monica, hoping her teacher will get the message and keep them together.

 

She watches with an increasing sense of fear as her goes down the attendance calling out pairs of names. Trish scowls when Monica and Zoe are put together and waits impatiently for her turn.

 

“Patricia Walker and Jessica Jones”

 

Trish’s eyes scanned through the crowd, landing on the plaid shirt and scuffed sneakers of her new partner. They’ve never really talked before, in fact Trish can’t remember ever hearing Jessica say more than a couple words.

 

Sometimes on the drive to school Trish would pass by Jessica on her bike. Her mother would always scrunch up her nose, make some comment about the dirt on her clothes or the state of her hair. This was usually followed by a stern warning to stay away from people like _her._ Girls like Jessica Jones were bad news.

 

So as Trish walked the ten feet over to the dark haired girl, her pony tail bobbing up and down with each  step, she scrunched up her face just like her mother and put on a cool glare.

 

Unfortunately this didn’t seem to have much of an effect on Jessica, who acknowledges her by rolling her eyes before going back to picking at a loose thread on the sleeve of her oversized shirt.

 

“Now I want everyone to take their buddie’s hand, and don’t let go.” Their teacher calls out. “No one is getting lost today, understand?”

 

Trish hesitates, not wanting to get in trouble, but reluctant to offer Jessica her hand. Three long seconds pass in which the two girls just stare at each other, Trish begins to chew on the end of her ponytail-a nervous habit that her mother despises- and eventually Jessica’s eyes darken. The other girl takes a quick step forward, roughly grabbing Trish’s hand before practically dragging her towards the entrance to the zoo.

 

She stumbles, rushing to keep up with the taller girl’s longer legs. Her foot lands hard in a puddle and cool water splashes up around her knees, staining her leggings a murky brown.

 

“You know, it’s not nice to touch people without their permission.” Trish states, angrily rubbing with her free hand at her ruined bottoms.

 

“Well it’s also not nice to be a stuck-up bitch, but you don’t hear me complaining.” Jessica mutters, but she does slow her pace, lazily swinging their joined hands back and forth as she begins to take plodding exaggerated steps.

 

It was at this moment, that Trish Walker decided she absolutely despised Jessica Jones.

 

//

 

It’s two hours into their zoo trip and her hand hasn’t left Jessica’s once. It’s a challenge, Trish can see it in the way Jessica’s eyes glint whenever she loosens her grip, daring her to be the first one to let go, to admit defeat. And Trish Walker is not one to back down in the face of a challenge.

 

So when one of her classmates, all of whom have wandered off from their buddy’s ages ago, snickers at the sight of the two of them, Trish simply smiles back at him before tightening her grip on Jessica’s hand and walking off without another word.  

 

//

 

They break for lunch outside the zoo’s restaurant. The ground is littered with dropped French fries and crumpled up paper, and a group of pigeons crowd around the tables. Jessica pulls her past Monica and Zoe and all of her other classmates, sitting down at one of the few empty tables off in the far corner.

 

Without letting go of Trish’s hand once, Jessica easily slides her denim backpack off her shoulder, unzipping it and pulling out a brown paper bag. She drops it unceremoniously on the splintering wood before pulling out a sandwich and beginning to eat.

 

Trish stares at their still conjoined hands resting on the table, but Jessica shows no signs of letting go. The dark haired girl looks up, and her eyes narrow. “Want to let go? Is my hand too low class for you?”

 

Trish glares at her and squeezes even tighter. “And go against the buddy rule? Never.”

 

Jessica raises her eyebrows and Trish swears she can see the hint of a smile. Hiding a grin of her own she bends over and rummages through her backpack, pulling out a granola bar and a bottle of water.

 

It takes some fiddling and the very unladylike use of her teeth, but she manages to get the wrapper off one handed without too much of a struggle. Trish tries to take small bites, but she still finishes long before Jessica has even made it half way through her sandwich.

 

When it becomes clear that there’s no other food coming out of Trish’s bag, Jessica pauses mid-mouthful and asks, not unkindly, “Did you forget your lunch or something?”

 

Trish feels her cheeks go red and she looks down, staring at their entwined hands. “I’m not very hungry.”

 

“No need to freak out.” Jessica laughs, “Here, have some.” And Trish watches as half a sandwich lands in front of her.

 

She hesitates for a second, “I- I have an audition on Saturday.”

 

“So?” If she wasn’t so uncomfortable right now, Trish would almost laugh at the confused look on Jessica’s face.

 

Instead she parrots the words she’s heard so many times from her mother. “The camera adds ten pounds. No one wants to hire Fatsy Walker.” She tries to laugh it off, make it seem like the words don’t have an effect on her.

 

Jessica just stares. “Jesus.” She mutters. She fixes Trish with a hard look, “You’re in third grade, no one gives a shit how much you weigh. Eat the sandwich.”

 

Trish sighs, chews nervously on the end of her ponytail before picking up the offered food. It’s not like her mother will ever know…

 

She takes a tentative bite and Jessica smiles. An honest to goodness teeth and all smile, and Trish can’t help but reciprocate.

 

//

 

They get off the bus together, their hands loosely cupping each other and a sarcastic comment about the bus driver whispered in Trish’s ear. Jessica had searched through her bag for loose change, rounding up enough to buy Trish a chocolate bar from the zoo’s vending machine. Now both of their mouths are sticky with the sweet substance, and Trish watches as Jessica’s tongue flicks up to lick at it.

 

She’s laughing at something Jessica said, when she stumbles right into the pristine white pants of her mother. Trish’s eyes widen as her mother takes in the mud on her leggings, the chocolate mess of her mouth, and finally the girl standing next her.

 

She drops Jessica’s hand.

 

//

 

Trish watches the bruises form on her wrist as the echoes of her mother’s voice, berating a flustered principal, drift in from the kitchen. The next day she finds herself placed in a new classroom.

 

Over the years she only ever sees glimpses of Jessica in the halls. Never having class together, never even being placed in the same lunch period.

 

By the time the car crash happens, Trish has completely forgotten about the dark haired girl, and the day they spent at the zoo. 


End file.
